Material loading machine



C, R. STAHL June-14, 1932.

MATERIAL LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l v A xl. HRA. o .www m NW. d, Mu nwrmmm i .mv mw. ku www .wwfmwfnfwf mmv m M uw. ha. m

Junel4,932. C'R STAHL MATERIAL LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb; 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 14, 1932. C. R, STAHL 1,862,610

MATERIAL LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb 18, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Suvenfor' Bg l Cttorncg June 14, 1932. c. R, STAHL MATERIAL LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES R. STAHL, F STOTESBURY, WEST VIRGINIA MATERIAL LOADING MACHINE AppIicaton iled February 18, 1930. Serial No. 429,318.

The invention generally relates to material loading machines and primarily has for its object to providea new and improved machine adapted for yloading loose materials onto receiving cars. My improved machine is particularly adapted for use in low ceiling mine cuts for loading ore, rock or coal lonto receiving cars movable on trackways, and in this connection comprises a compact wheeled slide frame movable in line with and in ad Vance of a carto-be-illed and equipped with novel means including a power operated scraper to drag the material from the mine iioor up over the slide frame and into the receiving car.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel guide bottom boom detachably carried by the wheeled slide frame and which, when l Y operatively mounted on the slide frame, '20 serves to guide the scraper over the receiving car to enable it to deposit its load of material into said car, and which may be detached from the slide frame and supported upon the receiving car when the wheeled frame and the receiving car are being moved over the traclrways to avoid exaggerated lateral projections of said boom such as would otherwise be occasioned when said frame and Car would be rounding trackway curves.

Another object of the invention is to construct the wheeled slide unit in a novel com pact manner in which the cable winding drums are-mounted above the inclined slide and at one end of the unit, and the drum driving motor is mounted at the other end of the unit and below the inclined slide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swingable mounting or the winding drums whereby they may b e swung from an elevated operative position to a lowered inoperative position to compact the machine for travel through low ceiling mine cuts. i., Another object of the invention is to proa vide a novel means for eecting movement of the winding drums between operative and inoperative positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine 'of the character stated a detachable approach apron which will be operatively positioned with its receiving end close to the ground but which may be readily detached when it is desired to move the slide frame along the traclrwa-ys to avoid contact with the mine floor during such movement. In this connection the invention further resides in the provision of scraper guide wings detachably secured to the flared side walls of the apron at the receiving end.

Vith these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. G5

ln the drawings:

Figures l and la conjointly comprise a side elevation illustrating the Vinvention in use in a mine, s

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my improved 70 loading machine pre-pared for travel inthe mme,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine removed from connection with the receiving car, parts of the superstructure being broken away,

Figure 4 is a front elevation, the combined gear guard and clamp being omitted,

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 55 on Figure 3, 80

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 6-6 on Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation of the scraper,

Figure 8 is a detail plan view lof the 85 Scraper,

Figure 9 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 9 9 on Figure 3,

Figure l0 is a fragmentary face view of one end of the swingable drum carrying cradle and illustrates the means for securing the cradle in operative position,

Figure ll is an end elevation of the parts shown in Figure l0, parts being in section,

Figure l2 is a detail central vertical cross section of the swingable cradle and ill-ustrates a novel means for guarding and se` curing the drum rotating gears against relative rotation.

. ures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 designates a mine floor and 2 the ceiling defining a cut from which rock, coal, or other ore is to be taken. A pile of material to be loaded is indicated at 3.

In the practical development of the invention, I provide a loading unit generally designated 4 and a receiving car generally designated 5, the said unit and car being suitably supported upon wheels 6 and 7 respectively whereby they may be conveniently transported over the traclways 8.

The car 5 comprises a` suitable truck 9 which supports a material receiving hopper body 10 and which is provided at its respective ends with coupling devices 11 by which it may be conveniently connected in tandem with the loading unit. Y

The loading unit comprises a truck 12 upon which is mounted rear corner standards or columns 13 and at each side and at the front end of which is mounted a pair of spaced forwardly and-upwardly directed columns 14. Each pair of columns 14 is joined at its upper end by a bracket beam 15, and suitable side frame beams 1G are secured to the bracket beams 15 and the respective columns 13 to provide a fabricated side frame extending vertically from each side of the unit truck. A traclway slide 17 is supported as at 18 upon the loading unit frame and extends upwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent the ground at the advance end of the truck to a high point at the rear end of the truck as illustrated in Fig- The slide is flared voutwardly at its lower or receiving end as will be evident by reference to F igure 3 of the drawings.

By reason of projecting the columns 14 forwardly and upwardly they serve to provide an overhanging nose or frame portion 19and in this overhanging part of the frame is mounted a transverse countershaft 20 which is rotatable in suitable bearings 21. Rotation is imparted to the shaft 2O by power transmitting devices 22 from the shaft 23 which is mounted in suitable bearings upon the loading unit truck and to which rotation is in turn imparted through a gear train 24 from the motor 25. The motor is mounted directly upon the loading unit truck at a point adjacent the rear end thereof and beneath the slide 17.

The shaft 20 has secured thereon a gear 26 which meshes with a gear 27 secured upon a pulley shaft 28. The pulley shaft 28 is rotatable in bearings 29 provided in a rock frame or cradle 30 which is swingable about the axis of the shaft 20. The cradle 30, thus mounted, is swingable from the operative position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings to an inoperative position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. Suitable means 31 is provided for securing the frame inthe operative position shown in Figure 1.

l,vinding drums or pulleys 32 and 33 are carried by the shaft 28 and are normally freely rotatable thereon. A shiftable clutch 34 is mounted on the shaft 28 for cooperation with each of the drums, the said clutch elements being rotatable with the shaft but shiftable therealongvso that when they are moved into engagement with the selected drum the rotation of said clutch element will be imparted to said drum. In this manner the drums may be caused to rotate with the shaft 28 or be allowed to rotate freely about said shaft as desired. The clutch elements 34 are shifta-ble into and out of operative engagement with the drums by suitable shifting means 35.

A scraper guide and supporting boom 36 is removably secured as at 37 to extend rearwardly from the loading unit 4 over the attached material receiving car as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. This boom includes side guide angles 38, a central supporting bar 39 and a rear cross bar 40. The boom is thus in the nature an open bottom frame which will serve to support and guide the movement of the traveling scraper while permitting the material dragged along thereby to fall into the receiving car 5. A head sheave 41 is detachably mounted upon the rear cross bar 40 and serves a purpose that will be described later.

A trough-like receiving apron 42 is removable-hinge-connected at 43 to the bottom or receiving end of the slide 17 and has its receiving end supported closely adjacent the mine floor by chains 44 which are secured to the advance end of the apron and adapted to be adjustably received on hooks 45 mounted on the overhanging frame nose.

Deflector or guide plates 46 are detachably secured at 47 to the side walls of the apron 42 and project forwardly from said apron in flared relation to facilitate the guiding of the traveling scraper into the apron 42.

A jack pipe 48 is secured by means of the elongating screw 49 between the floor and ceiling of the mine at a suitable point in advance of the loading unit and the pile of material to be loaded as is clearly illustrated in Figure 1a of the drawings. The jack pipe serves as a stationary support for a tail sheave 50.

The traveling scraper is indicated at 51 and comprises an inverted scraper bucket head 52 from which side arms 53 project forwardly and inwardly where they are connected to form a connection eye 54. A cable securing eye 55 is provided at Veach side at the rear end of the scraper bucket and said eyes serve as connecting means for a retract- Cil its

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ing cable 56 which is secured to wind around the drum 32, passes back over the tail sheave and is connected by a split connection 57 with the eyes 55.

A scraper advancing cable 58 is secured to and winds around the drum S3 from which it passes rearwardly over the head sheave 41 thence forwardly to connect with the eye 54 of the scraper.

By reason of removably mounting the apron 42 and guide plates 46, and by reason of the detachable mountings for the boom .36 and the sheave 41, and the swingable mounting of the cradle 30, it is possible to compact the apparatus as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings when traveling between locations in the mine. During such travel the apron and guide plates and also the sheave connections 41 and 48-50 may be removed and suitably supported in the loading unit. The drums with the cradle 30 may be swung down to the lowered or compacted position illustrated in Figure 2 and the boom may be detached from the loading unit proper and supported upon cross bolster-s on the receiving car 5 as illustrated in Figure 2. rl'hus it is possible to compact the apparatus to enable it to travel under relatively low ceilings while traveling between locations and also to remove the boom from its operative position where it would cause difficulties while the apparatus was traversing` curves in the mine.

he mounting of the drums at a point above the slide 17 and at the advance end of the loading` unit, and the mounting of the motor beneath the slide and toward the rear end of the unit renders the unit desirably compact and well balanced.

lVhen the apparatus has been moved to the location in the mine where it is to be brought into use, the wheels of the loading unit may be locked to the rails by a suitable clamping means 59 to render the apparatus rigid and stationary against reactionary forces.

If desired the apron may be merely elevated on its hinge mountings 43 instead of being removed entirely as above related.

A combined guard and clamp strap 60 is mounted at 61 upon the cradle 30 in position for closely encircling a major portion of the gear 27. During operation of the winding drums the strap 60 serves to guard the periphery of the gear 27. The means for mounting the strap includes a clamping bolt 62 which may be tightened to cause the strap to grip the periphery of the gear 27 and securely hold it against rotation. IV hen the gear 27 'thus clamped the torque applied to the shaft 20 from the motor 25 through connections 22 will serve to effect movement of the cradle and drums about the axis of said shaft 20. Thus the power of the motor may be utilized to swing the cradle 30 between operative and inoperative positions. See Figures 1, 2 and 12.

In operation, assume the parts to be mounted and conditioned as shown in the composite Figures l, 1a of the drawings, the motor is suitably brought into operation and assuming the scraper to be in position for picking up a load of material, the clutch associated with the drum 33 would be brought into operation to impart rotation to that drum and thereby cause` the cable 58 to be wound in and the scraper to be drawn toward the loading unit. At this time the other drum 32 is free to rotate relatively to the shaft 28 and consequently the cable 56 is freely unwound from said drum 32 during the movement of the scraper just above referred to.

As the scraper advances with its load of material it will engage the plates 46 and be guided into the apron 42 and thence up onto and over the slide 17. The scraper next passes over the open bottomed boom 36 and delivers its load through the bottom of the boom into the car 5.

The previously engaged clutch 34 will now be released from the drum 33 and other clutch element moved into engagement with the drum 32 to cause a. reverse travel of the scrap* er. This time the drum 82 becomes active to wind in on the cable 56 while the drum 33 rotates freely to pay off the cable v58. The scraper is thus drawn back to its initial position to take up another load.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangements of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor mounted beneath the slide toward its delivery end, said drums being mounted above said slide toward its receiving end, a swingable frame on which said drums are mounted and serving to position the drums in a normal operative position eX- tending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary oper ative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, means to impart rotation from the motor to the drums comprising a counter shaft, power transmitting connections between the motor and the counter shaft, and power transmitting connections between the counter shaft and the drums.

2. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guid` ed cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor mounted beneath the slide toward its delivery end, said drums being mounted above said slide toward its receiving end, a swingable. frame upon which said drums are mounted and serving to position the drums in a normal operative position eX- tending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, means to impart rotation from the motor to the drums comprising a counter shaft, power transmitting connections between the motor and the counter shaft, and power transmitting connections between the counter shaft and the drums including clutches operative to enable rotation of a selected drum while permitting idling of another drum.

3. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into ay receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor mounted beneath the slide toward its delivery end, said drums being mounted above said slide toward its receiving end, a swingable frame upon which said drums are mounted and serving to position the drums in a normal operative position eX- tending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, means to impart rotation from the motor to the drums comprising a counter shaft, power transmitting connections between the motor and the counter shaft, power transmitting connections between the counter shaft and the drums, said swingable i drum carrying frame being swingable about the axis of the counter shaft for the purpose described.

4. In a machine of the character described a wheeled frame, a receiving car tiexibly coupled with the frame for 'travel therewith, an inclined slide on the frame, an open bottomed boom projecting from the frame over the car, means including sheave guided cables, a scraper moved by the cables and slidable over the slide and boom, and winding drums for operating the cables for dragging material over the slide and onto the boom for delivery into the car, said boom being detachable from the frame and mountable on the car for the purpose described.

5. In a machine of the character described a wheel frame, a receiving` car flexibly coupled with the frame for travel therewith, an inclined slide on the frame, an open bottomed boom projecting from the frame over the car,

means including sheave guided cables, a scraper moved by the cables and slidable over the slide and boom, winding drums for operating the cables for dragging material over the slide and onto the boom for delivery into the car, and means to elfect a lowering of the drums to compact the machine, said booni being detachable from the frame and mountable on the car for the purpose described.

G. In a loose material loading machine, a frame including a wheeled truck and a pair of opposed forwardly and upwardly extended standards serving to provide an advance overhanging frame nose, an inclined slide over which the material is draggedl and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor for operating said drums, a receiving apron connected to and projecting forwardly from the advance end of the slide, and means to suspend the receiving end of the apron from said frame nose.

7. In a loose material loading machine, a frame including a wheeled truck and a pair of opposed forwardly and upwardly extended standards serving to provide an advance overhanging frame nose, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a. scraper for dragging the material, a motor for operating said drums, a receiving apron connected to and projectingforwardly from the advance end of the slide, and means to suspend the receiving end of the apron from said frame nose, said drums being swingably mounted on said frame nose and above the slide, and said motor being mounted beneath the slide and at the end of the frame opposite said frame nose end.

8. In a loose material loading machine, a frame including a wheeled truck and a pair of opposed forwardly and upwardly extended standards serving to provide an advance overhanging frame nose, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided lcables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor for operating said drums, a receiving apron connected to and projecting forwardly from the advance end of the slide, means to suspend the receiving end of the apron from said frame nose, and flared scraper guide wings detachably secured to the apron and adapted to extend forwardly therefrom along the ground,

9. In a machine of the character described in which is embodied a frame having an in clined slide thereon and a support extended forwardly beyond the advance end of the slide, a receiving apron removably connected at its delivery end to the slide, means to suspend the receiving end of said apron from the forwardly extending support, and side guide wings detachably secured to the receiving end of the apron and extending forwardly therefrom along the ground in flared relation.

10. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor for operating said winding drums, a swingable frame to position the drums in a norma-l operative position extending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, and means deriving power from said motor to swing said swingable frame between operative and compacted positions.

11. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitable for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a. scraper for dragging the material, a motor for operating said winding drums, a swingable frame to position the drums in a normal operative position extending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, and means to swing said swingable frame between operative and compacted positions.

12. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor mounted beneath the slide, said drums being mounted above said slide, a swingable frame to position the drums in a normal operative position extending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, means to impart rotation from the motor to the drums comprising a counter shaft, power transmitting connections between the motor and the counter shaft, intermeshing gears for transmitting power from the counter sha-ft and the drums, and means to secure the gears against rotation for the purpose described.

13. In a loose material loading machine, a wheeled frame, an inclined slide over which the material is dragged and thus elevated suitably for delivery into a receiving car, means including winding drums, sheave guided cables and a scraper for dragging the material, a motor mounted beneath the slide, said drums being mounted above said slide, a swingable frame to position the drums in a normal operative position extending above the wheeled frame or in an inoperative compacted position below the upper limits of the wheeled frame accordingly as said wheeled frame is in stationary operative position or compacted for travel upon the wheels thereof, means to impart rotation from the motor to the drums comprising` a counter shaft, power transmit-ting connections between the motor and the counter shaft, intermeshing gears for transmitting power from the counter shaft and the drums, and a combined guard and clamp strap associated with the gears for the purpose specified.

14. In a. machine of the character oescri'bed, winding drums, a driven shaft, a driving shaft, means to impart rotation from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, means to impart rotation to the driving shaft, a cradle on which the drums and driven shaft are mounted, said cradle being swingable about the axis of the driving shaft for the purpose described.

15. In a machine of the character described, winding drums, a driven shaft, a driving shaft, intermeshing gears for imparting rotation from the driving` shaft to the driven shaft, means to impart rotation to the driving shaft, a cradle on which the drums and driven shaft are mounted, said cradle being swingable about the aXis of the driving shaft, and means to lock the gears against rotation for the purpose specified.

16. In a machine of the character described, winding drums, a driven shaft, a driving shaft, intermeshing gears for imparting'rotation from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, means to impart rotation to the driving` shaft, a cradle on which the drums and driven shaft are mounted, said cradle being swingable about the axis of the driving shaft, and means including a combined guard and clamp strap to lock the gears against rotation for the purpose specified.

17 In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a receiving car flexibly coupled with the frame for travel therewith, an inclined slide on the frame, an open bottomed boom projecting from the frame over the car, means including sheave guided cables, a scraper moved by the cables and slidable over the slide boom, and winding drums for operating the cables for dragging material over the slide and onto the boom for delivery into the car.

In testimony whereof I afhX my signa-ture.

CHARLES It. STAHL. 

